"You Are Critical To Our Success"
I recently started re-reading "Leadership Strategy and Tactics", by Jocko Willink. Some key ideas strike me as I am reading this for the 2nd time.
The first is where Jocko emphasizes the importance of making sure every team member understands that their role is critical to the team's overall success. This might seem like a simple concept, and at the same its impact is profound. When individuals feel valued and understand how their contributions directly impact the mission, their engagement, motivation, and performance soar.
Too often, employees feel like cogs in a machine, their work unnoticed and contributions unvalued. This leads to decreased morale, reduced productivity, and ultimately, higher turnover. As leaders, it's our responsibility to combat this by clearly articulating the significance of each person's role.
Here are some strategies to effectively communicate the "you are critical to our success" message:
1. Connect Individual Tasks to the Bigger Picture
Explain how each task, no matter how small it might seem, contributes to the team's overall objectives. An example from what I found effective was to periodically share a “big picture” message with the team at large, highlighting a specific client and how our service excellence helped the client focus on delivering in their marketplace. By ensuring that their business systems were operating at peak capacity and performance, the client could grow their business and drive operational efficiencies. This creates a cascading effect, allowing for increased employment, more people served, and more community involvement by our clients and their staff.
2. Provide Context and Explain the "Why"
As individuals, those we lead are more likely to be invested in their work when they understand the reasons behind it and how it directly affects them. When I take the time to explain the "why" behind tasks and projects, how it will help them in their career goals, how it correlates to the rest of their cohort, along with the team cohesion this builds, it helps team members see the value in their contributions. This means that we, as leaders, need to know each of the team members and what drives them…what is their “why”. To do this, the professional relationship must already be established.
3. Offer Specific and Frequent Feedback
I have found it most effective if I am having individual meetings with each of my direct reports at least every 2 weeks. This provides an opportunity to build professional relationships and understand each person’s motivations and drives. Additionally, I do this to help ensure that annual reviews are not the only time that I provide corrective, constructive, and/or positive feedback. When offering praise, be specific. When offering constructive criticism, frame it in a way that emphasizes the importance of their role in support of the client and achieving team goals.
4. Delegate with Ownership
When delegating tasks, provide clear “leader’s intent” (what is the final goal to be achieved, which ensures success) and empower individuals to take ownership of the process and the outcome. When a subordinate owns their process, they are invested in the successful outcome. This signals that you trust their abilities and value their contributions. Leaders need to give trust to earn it back from those they lead. This may need to be done incrementally, and if broken, corrective coaching needs to be given immediately.
5. Recognize and Celebrate Individual Contributions
Publicly acknowledge and celebrate individual contributions to the team's success. For this to be most effective, you need to know the person. Some like the acknowledgment to be made known on a broad scale in front of the whole team, while others prefer a smaller group or even simple individualized recognition for celebrating these victories. However it is done, identifying victories and individual contributions reinforces the idea that each person's work is valued and makes a difference.
6. Foster Open Communication
Create a team culture of open communication where members feel comfortable asking questions, sharing ideas, and voicing concerns. It was recently brought to my attention that the root of the word “question” is “quest”. In fostering open communication, be on your quest to understand those who are entrusted into your care. Earnestly ask questions to understand and seek insight. Be an example of open communication. This allows you to better understand their perspectives and reinforce the importance of their input.
7. Invest in Employee Development
Show your team that you are invested in their growth and development. Provide opportunities for training, mentorship, and advancement. Demonstrate that you value them as individuals and see them as long-term contributors to the team's success. I recently heard of a 70/20/10 principle in employee development. The principle states that 70% of learning is experiential, meaning it comes from actually doing the work; 20% involves guidance from mentors and cohorts; and 10% is from classroom learning. Remember this when directing your own and others’ career development and growth.
By consistently communicating the "you are critical to our success" message, you can foster a team of highly engaged and motivated individuals who are committed to achieving shared goals. When people understand that their work matters, they will bring their best selves to the job, leading to increased productivity, innovation, and overall success.
